Bittersweet chocolate-चकलेटको समीक्षा-Raj Kumar Baral

Book Review Bittersweet chocolate (Published in Republica daily-Dec.20,2013 Friday) RAJ KUMAR BARAL Nayan Raj Pandey hardly needs any introduction to readers in Nepal. His novels “Loo” and “Ular” have already proven his mettle in writing and established him as a fine writer. His minute observations of the social surroundings and succinct and captivating art of storytelling have made readers appreciate his books. He takes writing not something he is passionate about but rather as a way to battle the ills of the society, and that is clearly evident in the story collection, “Chocolate.” Chocolate, an anthology of twenty-seven stories, is Pandey’s eighth creative work which mainly attacks the bitter realities of the societies backed by inefficient and corrupt politicians, whom Pandey has used as his characters in most of the stories in the collection. Sweet-sounding chocolate is a metaphor of false hope in his title story “Chocolate.” The false hope which politicians tantalizingly deliver through their speeches and promises. The stories also make a mockery of the “city lover” leaders who hardly visit their own villages until the time they need help and support from their “own” people.  Pandey seems dissatisfied with the selfish attitude of the city dwellers who don’t seem to remember the favors and goodwill bestowed on them by others. This is evident in the story “Mahanagar” where a high-ranking uncle fails to recognize his own nephew. He had promised never to forget him when Ramesh had donated blood and saved his life when he had been in an accident. Politicians are also the major targets of his satire. A leader delivers a high-sounding speech in the story “Tato” but those promises he makes never materialize. The tendency of making false promises and being indifferent towards keeping those very promises later on is also the subject matter of the story “Samsad Shuru” where leaders use stories of Kamaiyas in their speeches but don’t do anything to alleviate their sufferings. Nepotism, which is largely prevalent in our society, has also been touched upon in one of the stories in the collection. Ranganath, a leader of a revolutionary party and a recently appointed minister, recruits Balbire, his brother-in-law, as his personal assistant instead of Dipak, the son of Karna, who had once saved Ranganath’s life. The misuse of power and fulfilling one’s vested interests by organizing whisky party for high officials and ministers are the recurring subjects in Pandey’s stories. The stories “Shasan” and “Red Wine” are startling examples of that. Bhagiram’s search for mice, in the story “Desh,” is analogous to our irrational activities which are ultimately destroying the nation. Pandey’s satire isn’t limited to politics. He conveys his anger against the culture of bandas through a character, Harka Bahadur, who is a tempo driver. He loses his son because he doesn’t make it to the hospital in time. The doctor’s remark – “We could’ve saved him if you had arrived half an hour earlier” – really strikes a chord with all those who have ever faced emergencies during strikes. Morality, piracy and monetary issues are some of the other topics that Pandey has touched upon through various stories. However, the writer has failed to do justice to some of the characters and they don’t leave an impact as strong as some of the more developed characters. Also, due to the lack of variety in the stories, readers will sometimes easily be able to guess how the plot will develop and even be able to predict the ending. This not only kills the curiosity factor that is of paramount importance in storytelling but also makes readers impatient. But Pandey has ultimately created something of conspicuous literary importance despite the few errors and typos. The writer has used the stories as a means to fight against the sociopolitical evils prevalent in our society. As he has stated in the preface to the anthology, he is using the literary arena for a constructive purpose, hoping to bring about some change in the mindset of people, if not in the overall scenario. His book is an appeal, though indirectly, to every reader to fight against all the evil practices and work for a better future. Baral teaches at the Central Department of English at Tribhuvan University. Published on 2013-12-20 11:59:07

प्रेमका १५ कविताहरु-नयनराज पाण्डे

प्रेमका १५ कविताहरु

                                   -नयनराज पाण्डे

१)      अन्तिम फूल

तिमी हाँस्दा

एउटा फूल फुल्छ,

मैले हाँस्दा पनि

एउटा फूल फुल्छ ।

संसारमा

एउटा फूल मात्र बाँकी रहँदा पनि

हामीले बुझ्नु पर्छ,

कोही एक्लै कतै

अझै मुस्कुराइरहेछ ।

(२०१२ सेप्टेम्बर २८,शुक्रवार)

२)अर्को बाटो

बाटो

थिएन कतै

र तिमीले बाटो देखाइदियौँ ।

जीवनभरि

त्यही बाटोमा

बेटुङ्गो यात्रा गरिरहेको छु ।

भेटियौ भने तिमी कतै

म फेरि सोध्ने छु तिमीसित

अर्को बाटो

तिमीसम्म पुग्ने ।

(मार्च ६,२०१२)

३)अन्तरा

मलाई त

सिंगै काब्य चाहिएको छ,

मान्छेहरु

मेरो जिन्दगीमा

गीतको एउटा

अन्तरा बनेर नआइदिए हुन्थ्यो  ।

(२०१२ अक्टोबर ५)

४)डायरी प्रेमपत्रको

वर्षौँअघि

तिमीले उपहार दिएको

हरियो डायरीमा

केही प्रेम कविताहरु लेखेको थिएँ

तिम्रा लागि

तिम्रै सम्झनामा

र तिमीलाई नै समर्पित गरेर ।

सुम्सुम्याएर डायरीलाई

म केही दिनअघिसम्म पनि हरेक दिन

पर्खिरहेको थिएँ

तिमीलाई

आफ्नो अध्ययन कक्षमा,

ढोका खुला राखेर ।

अचानक केही दिनअघि

कुनै चोर पस्यो मेरो घरमा

र चोर्यो मेरो

सबैभन्दा किमती सामान

त्यही हरियो डायरी ।

तर खुशी छु

अचेल शहरमा

हरेक प्रेमी युगहरुले

पठाइरहेका हुन्छन्

मेरा तिनै प्रेम कविताहरु

एसएमएस बनाएर ।

एकदिन

तिम्री नातिनीको मोबाइलमा पनि

पठाउन सक्छ उसको प्रेमिले

मेरै कविता ।

नरिसाउनू ऊसित

भन्ठान्नू

मैले पठाएँ

एउटा प्रेमपत्र

तिमीलाई

त्यही हराएको

हरियो डायरीबाट ।

(नोभेम्बर ४,२०१२)

५)मनभित्र

ढोका नढक्ढक्याएरै

यो मनको चक्रब्यूहभित्र

चोर जस्तै

सुटुक्क

को पस्न खोजिरहेछ हँ ?

के त्यसलाई

मनभित्र पसेपछि

बाहिर निस्कन सकिँदैन भन्ने थाहा छैन ?

(मार्च २,२०१२)

६)तस्विर

उनैले खिचेको

एउटा तस्विर मेरो

हेर्दैछु अहिले,

तस्विरभरि त उनै छिन्

म कहाँ छु ?

(सेप्टेम्बर २७,२०१२)

७)प्रस्थान

तिमी

ब्यग्रताका साथ

पर्खिरहेकी थियौ मलाई

र त

सुनिनौ

छेवैमा आएर

मैले बोलाएको पनि

र चुपचाप गयौ

आफ्नो अन्तिम प्रेमपत्र

मेरो हत्केलामा छाडेर ।

(मार्च ७,२०१२)

८)ऐना

तिम्रा ओँठहरु

चल्मलाए,

र त मैले थाहा पाएँ

म  हाँसेको ।

मैले सपना देख्दा

चल्मलाउँदा रहेछन्

तिम्रा परेलीहरु ।

चूपचाप चूपचाप

बिस्तारै बिस्तारै

तिमी त मेरो

ऐना पो भैसकिछ्यौ ।

(२०१२ अक्टोबर १०)

९)सपनामा

धेरै पटक

आएको थिएँ म

तिम्रो सपनामा ।

तिमीले चिनिनौ

र म फर्किएँ चुपचाप

आफ्नै सपनाको संसारमा ।

(जुन ३०,२०१३)

१०)आडम्बर

प्रेमका केही

कविताहरु लेख्नुछ,

यस साल तिमी

मेरो जिन्दगीमा नआऊ ।

(मार्च ८,२०१२)

११)विश्वास

धेरै वर्षअघि

तिमीले

बिदाईमा हात हल्लाउँदा

मैले देखेको थिएँ

तिम्रो हत्केलामा

लामो जीवन रेखा ।

त्यसैले

मलाई विश्वास छ

तिमी आउने छ्यौ एकदिन

अवश्य

मेरो चिहानमा

फूल चढाउन ।

(सेप्टम्बर २४,२०१२)

१२)बजार

शेयरको भाउ

घटेछ निकै,

प्रिये,

माफ गर

म आज तिमीलाई

माया गर्न सक्दिन ।

(मार्च २,२०१२)

१३)सन् बयासीको प्रेम

तिमी रोएकी थियौ

र तिम्रो आँशु पिएर

मैले तिमीलाई हँसाउने प्रयास गरेको थिएँ ।

त्यसपछि सायद

तिमी कहिले पनि रोइनौ

र मैले

कैले पनि हाँस्न सकिनँ ।

के त्यो सन् बयासीको कुनै गर्मी दिन थियो ?

(२०१२ सेप्टेम्बर २९)

१४)हतारमा

तिमीलाई भेट्न

अत्यन्त हतार थियो मलाई,

म ओर्लिएँ

दौडिरहेको बसबाट,

म बसेकै सिटको झ्यालबाट

तिमीले हाँसेर हल्लायौ हात ।

म यसरी नै जीवनका बिसौनीहरुमा

बस चढ्दैछु र ओर्लँदैछु

र देख्छु तिमीले हात हल्लाएको

हरेकपटक

बस छुटेपछि ।

(२०१२ सेप्टेम्बर २८)

१५)हामी पनि हिजो रोएको

हिजो परेको

पानीमा

एक थोपा पानी

मेरै आँशु थियो,

एक थोपा पानी

तिम्रो आँशु थियो,

कसले भन्छ

समुद्र पानीले बनेको ?

के हामी रोएको कसैलाई थाहा छैन ?

(मार्च १४,२०१२)